Advances in Bio-Based Wood Adhesives

A special issue of Adhesives (ISSN 3042-6081).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 2603

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Forest Industry, University of Forestry, 1797 Sofia, Bulgaria
Interests: wood technology; wood-based composites; eco-friendly wood-based composites; lignocellulosic composites; wood technology; wood sciences; bio-based adhesives; advanced formaldehyde-based wood adhesives; formaldehyde emission; formaldehyde scavengers; recyclable materials; sustainability
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in the development, characterization, and application of bio-based adhesives for wood and wood-based composites, which is part of the response to the growing global demand for environmentally friendly and sustainable materials. As concerns over the environmental and health impacts of conventional synthetic adhesives, particularly those based on formaldehyde and fossil-derived resins, continue to rise, the search for renewable, biodegradable, and non-toxic alternatives has become a major focus in materials science and wood technology.

We invite original research and comprehensive reviews that address key scientific, technological, and industrial challenges in the field of bio-based wood adhesives. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The development and formulation of adhesives from renewable resources such as lignin, tannins, proteins, starches, and other natural polymers;
  • The characterization of adhesive properties: mechanical strength, thermal stability, water resistance, bonding performance, etc.;
  • Low-emission and formaldehyde-free adhesive systems;
  • Processing technologies and the scalability of bio-based adhesives for industrial use;
  • Binderless technologies and naturally self-bonding wood materials;
  • The application of bio-based adhesives in plywood, particleboard, fiberboard, OSB, and laminated wood products;
  • The enhancement of adhesive performance via chemical modification, enzymatic treatment, or nanotechnology;
  • Durability and aging behavior of bonded wood products;
  • Environmental impact assessment and life cycle analysis (LCA) of bio-based adhesive systems;
  • The valorization of lignocellulosic by-products and residues in adhesive development;
  • Challenges and opportunities in the commercialization of bio-based wood adhesives.

This Special Issue will serve as a platform to bring together researchers, practitioners, and industry stakeholders working at the intersection of wood science, polymer chemistry, green materials, and sustainable manufacturing. The ultimate goal is to contribute to the transition toward safer, greener, and more circular solutions in the wood products sector.

Prof. Dr. Petar Antov
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Adhesives is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bio-based wood adhesives
  • adhesive performance
  • adhesive properties
  • self-bonding wood materials
  • environmentally friendly and sustainable materials

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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9 pages, 369 KB  
Article
Development of an Environmentally Friendly Phenol–Formaldehyde Resin Modified with Spent Coffee Grounds Protein for Plywood Manufacturing
by Dimitrios Moutousidis, Konstantina Karidi, Eleftheria Athanassiadou, Katiana Filippi, Nikos Giannakis, Apostolos Koutinas and Eleni Stylianou
Adhesives 2025, 1(4), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/adhesives1040013 - 1 Nov 2025
Viewed by 1141
Abstract
Bio-based phenolic resins were developed with phenol substitution levels of 20% and 40% with crude extracts obtained from spent coffee grounds. The experimental resins were characterized in terms of their physical, chemical and bonding properties and exhibited the typical property levels of Phenol-Formaldehyde-type [...] Read more.
Bio-based phenolic resins were developed with phenol substitution levels of 20% and 40% with crude extracts obtained from spent coffee grounds. The experimental resins were characterized in terms of their physical, chemical and bonding properties and exhibited the typical property levels of Phenol-Formaldehyde-type resins. Plywood panels were produced bonded with the novel experimental resins, exhibiting satisfactory performance, comparable to the reference panels in terms of both shear strength and wood failure, based on the requirements of the European standards. The results demonstrate the potential of using biomass-derived compounds as substitutes for petrochemical phenol in the production of wood adhesives, thereby increasing the bio-based content of the wood panel composites produced with them and improving their sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Bio-Based Wood Adhesives)
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Review

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30 pages, 1428 KB  
Review
Greening the Bond: A Narrative and Systematic Literature Review on Advancing Sustainable and Non-Toxic Adhesives for the Fiberboard Industry
by Prosper Mensah, Rafael Rodolfo de Melo, Alexandre Santos Pimenta, James Amponsah, Gladys Tuo, Fernando Rusch, Edgley Alves de Oliveira Paula, Humphrey Danso, Juliana de Moura, Márcia Ellen Chagas dos Santos Couto, Giorgio Mendes Ribeiro and Francisco Leonardo Gomes de Menezes
Adhesives 2026, 2(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/adhesives2010002 - 8 Jan 2026
Viewed by 528
Abstract
The fiberboard industry remains heavily reliant on synthetic, formaldehyde-based adhesives, which, despite their cost-effectiveness and strong bonding performance, present significant environmental and human health concerns due to volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. In response to growing sustainability imperatives and regulatory pressures, the development [...] Read more.
The fiberboard industry remains heavily reliant on synthetic, formaldehyde-based adhesives, which, despite their cost-effectiveness and strong bonding performance, present significant environmental and human health concerns due to volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. In response to growing sustainability imperatives and regulatory pressures, the development of non-toxic, renewable, and high-performance bio-based adhesives has emerged as a critical research frontier. This review, conducted through both narrative and systematic approaches, synthesizes current advances in green adhesive technologies with emphasis on lignin, tannin, starch, protein, and hybrid formulations, alongside innovative synthetic alternatives designed to eliminate formaldehyde. The Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Coordinating Centre (EPPI) framework was applied to ensure a rigorous, transparent, and reproducible methodology, encompassing the identification of research questions, systematic searching, keywording, mapping, data extraction, and in-depth analysis. Results reveal that while bio-based adhesives are increasingly capable of approaching or matching the mechanical strength and durability of urea–formaldehyde adhesives, challenges persist in terms of water resistance, scalability, cost, and process compatibility. Hybrid systems and novel crosslinking strategies demonstrate particular promise in overcoming these limitations, paving the way toward industrial viability. The review also identifies critical research gaps, including the need for standardized testing protocols, techno-economic analysis, and life cycle assessment to ensure the sustainable implementation of these solutions. By integrating environmental, economic, and technological perspectives, this work highlights the transformative potential of green adhesives in transitioning the fiberboard sector toward a low-toxicity, carbon-conscious future. It provides a roadmap for research, policy, and industrial innovation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Bio-Based Wood Adhesives)
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